Tuesday, August 19, 1862
The Union Army struck camp at Harrison's Landing on Saturday, August 16 to pursue the Confederate Army, nearly two weeks after General George McClellan received orders from President Lincoln to strike camp. General Robert E. Lee ordered General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson north to draw fighting away from Richmond. The Union Army left Harrison's Landing at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday morning, marching about six miles to Charles City. On Sunday the Union soldiers endured an all-day march that covered sixteen miles, making night camp at the mouth of the Chickahominy River. On Monday the Army began their march this morning at 5:30 A.M., crossing the James River at Barrett's Ferry where they enjoyed a bath in the James River and marched another five miles for night camp. This morning the Army struck camp at 7:00 A.M. and marched through the colonial town of Williamsburg, resting briefly before resuming their march. They made camp by nightfall at Fort Magruder.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 142.
Showing posts with label Chickahominy River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chickahominy River. Show all posts
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tempestuous Weather near Seven Pines
Friday, May 30, 1862
The day afforded extremely hot weather, followed by violent thundershowers in the evening. The rain fell in torrents, and several of the bridges over the Chickahominy River were nearly swept away. At midnight the regiment heard heavy cannon fire in the direction of Richmond.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 89. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 126.
The day afforded extremely hot weather, followed by violent thundershowers in the evening. The rain fell in torrents, and several of the bridges over the Chickahominy River were nearly swept away. At midnight the regiment heard heavy cannon fire in the direction of Richmond.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 89. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 126.
Monday, May 21, 2012
On the March toward the Chickahominy
Wednesday, May 21, 1862
The Twentieth Massachusetts resumed their journey to the Chickahominy River, marching ten miles during the day and camping past Baltimore Cross Roads, three miles from the Chickahominy at Bottom's Bridge.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 88.
The Twentieth Massachusetts resumed their journey to the Chickahominy River, marching ten miles during the day and camping past Baltimore Cross Roads, three miles from the Chickahominy at Bottom's Bridge.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 88.
Friday, May 18, 2012
On the March toward the Chickahominy
Sunday, May 18, 1862
The regiment broke their camp near Cumberland at seven in the morning, marching past New Kent Court House. In the evening they formed a new camp near White House on their progress to the Chickahominy River.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 88.
The regiment broke their camp near Cumberland at seven in the morning, marching past New Kent Court House. In the evening they formed a new camp near White House on their progress to the Chickahominy River.1
References:
1George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 88.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Letters from the Front - Nathan Hayward
Saturday, May 17, 1862
In a letter to his father Doctor Nathan Hayward reassured his father that no one from the regiment had been wounded during their engagement at Eltham's Landing. He recounted the difficulties in travel due to heavy rains during their marches from Yorktown, noting that the march on May 15 was the most difficult they had encountered. Problems in moving heavy artillery on muddy roads was so severe that horses pulling the artillery died from over-exertion.
Doctor Hayward remarked on the visit of General George McClellan to their camp at Eltham's Landing and that General McClellan met with Colonel William Lee. Colonel Lee was deeply honored and regarded their meeting as "the greatest compliment he ever has received in his life."
Hayward continued to note the excellent mood among the regiment due to the return of Colonel Lee and Major Paul Revere. He expected that the Confederates would make a stand near the Chickahominy River and that the regiment would move in that direction.1
References:
1Nathan Hayward, "Letters," Association of Officers of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, Reports, Letters and Papers Appertaining to Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, vol. 1, p. 377-79, Twentieth Massachusetts Special Collection, Boston Public Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
In a letter to his father Doctor Nathan Hayward reassured his father that no one from the regiment had been wounded during their engagement at Eltham's Landing. He recounted the difficulties in travel due to heavy rains during their marches from Yorktown, noting that the march on May 15 was the most difficult they had encountered. Problems in moving heavy artillery on muddy roads was so severe that horses pulling the artillery died from over-exertion.
Doctor Hayward remarked on the visit of General George McClellan to their camp at Eltham's Landing and that General McClellan met with Colonel William Lee. Colonel Lee was deeply honored and regarded their meeting as "the greatest compliment he ever has received in his life."
Hayward continued to note the excellent mood among the regiment due to the return of Colonel Lee and Major Paul Revere. He expected that the Confederates would make a stand near the Chickahominy River and that the regiment would move in that direction.1
References:
1Nathan Hayward, "Letters," Association of Officers of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, Reports, Letters and Papers Appertaining to Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, vol. 1, p. 377-79, Twentieth Massachusetts Special Collection, Boston Public Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
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